Athletic supporter



Jan. 23, 1951 F. H. MONTMARQUET ATHLETIC SUPPORTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed June 19, 1942 Faq/vc/s Man %'4 ATTORNEY Jan. 23, 1951 F. H. MONTMARQUET ATHLETIC SUPPORTER Original Filed June 19, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR FeAzvc/s 6 Mo/vr/wmaz/zr filo ATTOE/V') I Reissued Jan. 23, 1951 UNITED STATES i ATENT OFFICE 23,334 ATHLETIC SUPPORTER:

Francis-i1. Montreal-quot, Little Falls, N. J.

Original No. 2,301,066, dated November 3; 1942,

Serial No. 447,658, June 19, 1942. Application for reissue June 17,1950, Serial. No. 168,819

42 Claims.

Matter enclosed in heavy brackets reissue specification; matter printed in This: invention relates to an athletic supporter generally referred to as a jock strap. More particularly, my invention. relates to the novel; interrelationship of beltand sack elements of an athletic supporter.

My invention is directed to a jock strap construction or athletic supporter comprising a sack portion, a belt portion and" leg straps in, whichthe" elements are combined in order to secure maximum comfort, and proper support during violent exercise, while effecting the greatest amount of economy respect of? the materials entering into the combination.

In suspensory bandages or supports known to me, efiorts have been: made to provide comfort, in. attaching the sack to the supporting belt. by suspending elements following generally the line of the groin. These devices being intended primaril to alleviate a distressed condition, werev not designed for protection during violent exercise. Endeavors to accommodate such a device as-known to me with angularly directed. groin. conforming supports. involved intricate. braces. and. straps which introduced elements of cost.

with regard to workmanship and materials.

In theproduction of relatively inexpensive athletic supporters or jock. strapsinvolving.

webbing constituting the. belt and a pouch portion of fabric of knitted elastic material, or con.- .structions intended to support a protective cup, resort to elastic webbing .of from. two to three inches in widthembraced such material. sections of the body as tobe readily displaced, requiring constant attention. during violent exercise, to re-- position. the pouch which the. belt portion. suspends; and which becomes displaced. in exercise- The; characteristic.- gesture. to; accomplish this replacement is wellknown.

Accordingly,.it.-is an objeet of my invention. to"

comfort in the crotch, and without any tendency t the pouc m m t la se and b nd; ithin 1 appears in the original patent but forms no part. of this italics indicates the additions made by reissue the crotch, assuring an envelopment of the: organs with proper support, avoidance of accidental displacement, while retain-ingsimpl-i-ficationof construction and-'m-aterials, to eiiect great economies inworlnnanshi-p andmaterials.

To' attain these objects and such further objectsasv ma appear herein or be hereinafter pointed. out, I make reference to the accompanying drawing, forming a part hereof, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of myinvention. illustrated in the form in which it might appear. on. the torso of the wearer;

Figure 2 is a. magnified plan view thereot, withthe. parts flattened out to show the relativearrangements;

Figure. 3 is a fragmentaryperspective view of thebelt webbing. entering into theconstruction of the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1. and 2.;

Figure4 is a plan. view of another embodiment or". my invention;

Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the. em bodiment. of Figure 4: upon. the torsoof. a wearer Figure 61s a plan view of a still further. embodiment of my invention;

Figure 7 is a plan view of a. still further. em.- bodiment of my invention;

Figure. 8 is a plan view of an. embodiment of my invention. comprising a combined suspensory and jock strap;

Figure. 9 is aplan view illustrating. my invention in. the form. of. an athletic supporter and pro tective cup holder;

Figure 1.0 is a section taken. on the line I0l.0 of. Figure 9..

Making reference to the drawing, I have illustrated. in Figures 1 to=3,v a jock strap It). compris-- ing. a belt. portion H, preferably madeof. a relatively wide. webbing of elastic fabric approximately three inches in width in the quiescentstate, with the elastic threads or cards in the warp direction. This is. well known webbing ma.-

terial wherein. elastic. warp threads appear closer together adjacent the selvage than along the medial lineof the webbing. The appearance of this. fabric is the same on both sides.

, With. a. length of this. webbing material thus:

provided, I. form angular or mitre fold: [-2. adjacent the mid-portion thereof, forming,

branches. [.3 and: M, angularlydirected towards their other and forming a straight edgel51 comimon to both branches, at an obtuse angle to the edge I6 and an acute angle to the edge I1 of the webbing.

A fold of this kind will result in the edge I1 of the branch I3 appearing at the upper part thereof and continuing to the bottom edge I8 of the branch I4. Likewise, the edge I6 will be lowermost in the branch I3 and will be directed to form the upper edge I9 of the branch I4.

The oppositely directed apices and 2| form a triangularsection 22 in overlapping relationship. The mitre overlap and the angular direction of the webbing to the edge I5 are calculated 7 to correspond to the distance between the left and right groins approximately adjacent the crest of the pubis, for purposes which will appear more clearly as this description proceeds.

' The free edges 23 and 24 are joined at the stitch line 25 and then covered with a reinforcing tape 26 by stitching the same over the seam formed by joining the edges 23 and 24 to each other.

The section thus described forms a belt element.

I I then provide a pouch 21, preferably made of elastic knitted fabric having one or more elastic cords knitted lengthwise or in a warp direction adjacent the selvage edges 28 and 29. A form fitting contour is given to the webbing of which the pouch is made by seaming together at 3!! one edge 3| 'of this fabric. The free edge 32 of the pouch webbing is then stitched to the edge iii of the belt element previously described by the stitch lines 33 in overlapping relationship. Over t is free edge a protective tape is sewn to cover the same and provide a facing. The Webbing of which the pouch 21 is formed is likewise calcul ted to be of a width so that in its ouiescent condition it substantially corres onds to the distance between the left and right groins approximately adjacent the crest of the pubis.

I then provide leg straps 34 and 35, which are preferably formed of elastic webbing. Elasticity may be derived from rubber threads woven in the warp direction of the webbing or by utilizing knitted material or a knitted material in which elastic threads are employ d. The low r terminal edges 36 of the lee straps 34 and are affixed to the edge 3| of the pouch, the upper edges of which 31-31 are affixed by stitchin 3R33 to the edges IE and I8, respectively, of the belt element II in close adjacency to the o posite ends of the edge I5, defining the side edges of the pouch.

With a garment as thus provided, it will be observed that the pouch portion first may be made of a. length of material which is shorter than that heretofore deemed necessary since sup ort for the pouch is dire t d along the groin. The overlapping apices defining the triang lar se tion 22 act as a brace, holding the sack from breaking and therefore assure a form fitting contour by spreading the sack adjacent the crest of the pubis from the left groin to the right groin.

The downwardly directed segments I3 and I 4 adjacent the bottom edges I6 and I8 are supported substantially in the groin, holding the belt supported upon the hi bones and thereby relieving the tension on the more sensitive abdom, inalportions of the body between the crests of the ilium, in the abdominal cavity. The an ularly directed sections above the crest of the pubis, immediately above the trian ular section 22, are left unconfined by the belt portion so that violent exercise will not tend to displace the sup- 4 port for the pouch or increase the tension, with consequent discomfort to the wearer.

By angularly directing the branches I3 and I4 towards each other and aiiixing the same in overlapping position to the upper end of the pouch, the abdominal pressure substantially above the crest of the pubis is avoided and the displacing tendency of the pouch is overcome.

By attaching the belt webbing at an angle, to have the apices overlapping and criss-crossed over the longitudinal axis of the pouch, a cross pull is eifected, tending to cup the pouch into form-fitting position about the organs and the pubis.

In Figures 4 and 5 I have shown another embodiment of my invention wherein the belt element I la has itsterminal edges 40 and 4| formed with mitred edges 42 and 43, respectively. to provide a suspending edge I5a fOr the sack 21. Here the apices 44 and 45 overlap to form the triangular reinforcing section 46. Like parts are similarly numbered as in the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 to 3.

In this embodiment, substantially all of the benefits of the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 are achieved to a degree, with no seam adjacent the back of the garment.

In Figure 6 I have shown another embodiment of my invention in which the belt I Ib constitutes an inelastic section 41. terminal edges of which.

' 4i: and 49, are seamed to elastic segments 5!] and 5|, respectively. The sections and 5| have their t rminal edges formed angularlv at 52 and 53, with the apices o erlapping to define the triangular section 54, The overlapping angular terminals 52 and 53 define a substantial straight edge 55. to which the upper ed e 32 of the pouch 21 is affixed by st tching or the like.

In this e bodiment, the suspension heretofore emphasized is secured. However, great economy in elastic we bin is effected. Wh le the webbing 41 is m de of inelastic material. the angu ar direction of the terminal portions. 48 and 49,

as secured by the sections 50 and 5|, serves to s spend the s ck from th hips and the crest of the i ium, without discomfort and without substantial loss of support for the pouch: The angular direction at which the terminal portions of the webbin is cut so that one side of the webbing wil correspond substant ally to one half of the width of the pouch to which it is attached will serve to secure a gentle upl ft of the pouch and an adequate anchorage of the garment over the hips and the crest of the ilium.

This type of construction, as well as my prior described embodiments, make it unnecessary to use eastic at the top ed e of the pouch since the form-fitting qual ty adjacent this portion of the body between the groins is secured.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figure '7, I have shown a belt portion I I0 formed of inelastic webbing Ia, formed at the front with mitre edges for each branch, in accordance with the form shown in Figure 4, the opposite edges of each branch leaving rectangular terminal edges 56 and 51 at the rear, to whi'ch an e astic section 58' may be aflixed by stitching along the seam lines 59 and 68, to opposite ends thereof.

In this view, like numerals are applied to parts corresponding to those in the pr or embodiments, and therefore, further reference will not be made to the manner in which the lower edge of the pouch 21 is aflixed by the leg straps to the belt portion.

this construction the pouch 21' has its upper" edge; 32 stitched tothe edge liar. formed; by mitre fold, as; in the embodimentillustratcd' in Eigure 21; It will be understood, h ev that the left and. right branchesiiorn ing the belt: element l ls'c maybe two separate sections of the webbing, to provide. overlapping apices defining a triangular section. 22a.

In; the embodiment. illustrated in- F'igura 8, I have shown a combination jock: strap; and suspensory wherein the pouch 2.19;. provided. with the usualopening 61..

In all other respects, this construction may. embody the suspension for'thepouchi by forming the belt portion-Lthereot'in accordance with any one of the forms previously: described, whether amitre fold is used for. the entire belt, as illustrated, in Figure 3, the overlapping apices as:

' shown in Figure 4; on the combination of inc-- elastic webbing and: elastic webbing, as. shown: and described in. connection: with, Figures 6. and'l';

In Figures 9' and 1.0 I have illustrated an athg letic supporter in accordancewith. my invention, where usedto holda protective cup; In this construction, the pouch: portion 21b is formed: from double-layered material 62 and 63 defining a pocket 64, into which may: be disposed a protective cup 65 through the opening- 56. The

fabric ofwhich the-sectionsfi! and 63 areformed 1 ispreferably inelastic material, such as Canton flannel.

The general construction of pocket: and: cnpnis. preferably of the type shown in my Patent No. 2,266,062, grantedi December 16, 1941. .The innerlayer 62 has its. terminal edge- 521: afiixed to. the lower edge 15a of the belt Ha. which, in allrespects, may follow the construction referred to in connection with the embodiment illustrated in Figure 4. The straps 34 and 35 may be afiixed to the pouch andbelt, as in the prior embodimeri s- In the embodiment. illustrated in: Eigures. 9" and 10, the suspension for the pouchas eifected by the belt construction which I have devised serves to center the pouch and hold the pro, tective cup. in centered position between the grons by, the tension which. is applied to the left and right, edges of, the... pouch, drawing these edges into the groin and about the protective cup located in the pocket of the pouch, in accordance with-this embodiment;

It will be observed that in the embodiment illustrated in Figure 4, and which may be applied in whole or in part to the embodiments illustrated in Figures '7, 8 and 9, wherein the webbing of the waistband or belt is formed with a suspending edge for the sack defined by the mitred edges of the waistband or belt elements at this point, that the degree of overlap of the apices 45 and 46 formed adjacent the suspending edge for the sack determines the degree of reinforcement. Whie contiguous arrangement of the apices will provide a. suspending edge for the sack, the overlap is increased as reinforcement may be found necessary, and where the diagonal pull to secure a form-fitting efiect is to be increased, the maximum limits being secured where a mitre fold is made in accordance with the embodiment illustrated and described in connection with Figure 3, wherein a continuous length of webbing is provided at least adjacent the upper edge of the sack.

It will further be observed that where the scrotum sack is made of elastic fabric, described as preferred in the embodiments illustrated in 6 Figures I to 8, with the, elasticity in! a. vertical direction, the angular distension in the, directionof? the groin, as. effected by the Waistband or belt: element, servesv as an accessory to the elasticity of" the scrotum sack or pouch, and where the. waistband or belt is made of elastic Webbing, the: distension in the fabric. of the pouch or sack is; minimized. with greater comiiort: to. the wearer;

It. will further beobserved that by my construction torsionala displacement of the waistband or belt elements from a predetermined angular position is; avoided and the desired position maintained. by the webbing mitred edges serving as a suspension for the. upper edge of the pouch or sack in that the edges of the web.- bing and the upper edge of' the pouch or sack cooperate with each other and the leg straps to direct the stresses in a. direction to balance the forces holding the, device in: position. The

supporter is, therefore held in position againstimum tendency for disp-lacementand consequentd-iscomfort and annoyance.

Havingthus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent-is:

1 An athletic supporter comprising a waistband or belt element of relatively wide elasticwebbing, the frontal portion whereot" is defined by: d'ownwardl y, angu arly directed branches formed of" said webbing [material], said angu-- larl y: directed" branches overlapping and crisscrossing each other and defining a continuous edge-common to both branches alonga-n obliquely directed section transverse ofthe webbing; along which continuous edge the sections are united by stitches, leaving the overlapping and crisscross'ing: portions" above the commonedge substantially free for relative movement" of one" branch; to the other along theZen-gth oithe web bing, a [sack or] pouch, the upper edge of which is affixed to said continuous edge of said branches, and leg straps connecting the lower portion *-of said pouch to said waistband, to direct the stresses holding the supp rter in position to have the miss-crossed portions exert an elastic pull along the length of the webbing on the opposite upper, ends of the pouch, tending to cup the pouch vinto form-fitting position about the o1- gcms and the pubis.

2. An athletic supporter comprising a waistband or belt of relatively wide elastic webbing having a mitre fold directing said webbing adjacent the frontal portion thereof into angularly directed branches following generally the line of the groin, and forming a fold transverse to the axial line of the body of the wearer, the over lapping and, miss-crossing portions above the fold line being substantially free for relative move; ment of one branch to the other, [and] a pond; [or sack], the upper edge of which is amxedjtp said fold, and leg straps for the opposite end 0) said pouch, the singularly directed branches being substantially free oj each other above the fold to: efiect a criss-crossed elastic pull upon:

the opposite'edge portions of said pouch, tend-.

ing substantially to cup the pouch by the elastic pull into form-fitting position about the organs."

[3. In an athletic supporter, a waistband in-r {4. In an athletic supporter comprising a waistband or belt of Webbing and a sack or pouch fastened-at an edge thereof in which said waistband or belt comprises a mitre fold angu-= larly to direct branches adjacent said fold along lines substantially parallel to the groin] 5. In an athletic supporter comprising a waistband or belt of elastic Webbing'and a sack or pouch of elastic materials, [of] means to suspend said pouch from said waistband comprising a mitre fold providing an edge transverse to the groin, the webbing above the fold being substantially free for relative movement. in distend-- ing the elastic webbing along the length of the webbing, the fold being extended for a width substantially equal to the width of the pouch across the groin, to'which fold the upper edge of said sack 'or pouch is afiixed, leaving the waistband free toefiect a criss-crossed pull to the opposite-"- edges of the pouch.

. [6. In an athletic supporter comprising a waistband and a sack or pouch suppo-rtedtherefrom, the combination whereof having the waistband of relatively Wide webbing formed adjacent the frontal portion thereof with angularly directed apices defining an edge co-terminous with the width of the upper edge of the pouch and to which said pouch is affixed] [7. An athletic supporter in accordance with claim' 6 wherein a portion of said webbing is formed of elastic fabric] [8. An athletic supporter in accordance with claim 6 in which a portion of the webbing of the waistband adjacent the pouch is formed of elastic fabric] 9. An athletic supporter comprising a pouch and a waistband [or be't element] of relatively wide elastic webbing [,1 formed adjacent the front thereof 'into-angularly, downwardly di-- rected branches, each of said branches [having] terminating in angularly directed edges, the

apices of which overlap to an extent corresponding'substantiallgfto the width o the upper" edge of the pouch, defining an edge transverse to the. groin and having the upper edge of said [a]? pouch' L the upper portion of which is] afi'lxed to the edge of said waistband [aforementioned] outlined by the overlapping branches of the waistband, to leave the upper section above the transverse edge substantially free for relative movement along the length of the webbing, the overlapping. apices effecting a criss-crossed, unrestrained elastic pull over the longitudinal axis of the pouch, tending to cup the pouch into formfitting position about the organs.

' [10. An athletic supporter comprising a waistband, the frontal portion whereof is formed into downwardly and angularly directed branches following generally the lines of the groin, said branches terminating into mitred sections, the,

apices of which overlap and provide an edge transverse'itothe groin to which the pouch portion is ailixed, the overlapping apices reinforcing the upper edge of said pouch and'being coterminous with said edge] [11. The combination in accordance with claim '10 wherein said webbing includes an elastic insert] [12. An athletic supporter comprising a, waistband or belt element of reatively wide webbing,

- the frontal portion thereof being downwardly directed providing. spaced. branches terminating in mitred edges, the apices of which overlap and define an edge substantially transverse to the groin and a pouch, the upper portion of which is ailixed to said edge, the lower portion of which pouch having connected thereto leg straps aflixed to the lower edge of said waistband in close adjacency to either side of said pouch] FRANCIS H. MONTMARQUET.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent or the original patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,155,659 Johnson Oct. 5, 1915 2,137,130 Cartledge Nov. 15, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 494,393 Great Britain Oct. 25,1938 

